


The Hidden World

by Artemis_the_Moon_Goddess



Series: If Harry Potter Had a Sister [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 21:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14860511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_the_Moon_Goddess/pseuds/Artemis_the_Moon_Goddess
Summary: Melanie's parents hate her. They hate her for her prankster personality. They hate her for her argumentative attitude. But most of all, they hate her for her magic. She has had enough. Unable to bear it any longer, she escapes. And, with her friends by her side, she finds herself lost in a strange world. A new world. A hidden world.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Btw, the relationships listed (Bill Weasley + OFC, Oliver Wood + OFC) are friendships, not romance.
> 
> Disclaimer: everything you recognise belongs to J.K. Rowling. Some of the characters and settings are ones I have taken from real life (people I know and places I have been). The sections that are set in Russia come purely from my imagination (I think, tho it might have been influenced by things I have read or heard before).
> 
> Melanie xx

She raised a hand to her cheek, the sting of the blow still throbbing. Her mum had _hit_ her. She had actually _hit_ her. With shaking hands, she picked up her phone and dialed a number - Claudia's number. She had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but there really wasn't another option. It wasn't like they were her family anyway. Her brother hated her, not that he'd ever hit her. She hadn't realised that the negative feelings between her and her parents stretched that far. It was going to be a miserable few weeks. At last, Melanie's best friend picked up the phone, and they began to make plans.

Many calls later, she raced up the stairs to her room, ready to begin her packing. There was so much stuff that it would take many days to go through it all, but she had to have something packed up and ready for when her other friends Lucas and Scarlett arrived that night. They had both been driven out of their own homes, with Scarlett actually being bodily thrown from the front door. Lucas had just up and left in the middle of the night. He took all five of his pet mice, along with a bunch of books and clothes, in his schoolbag. His parents never saw him again, although that wasn't for want of trying. The two had met up and made for Claudia's, their only possessions being the clothes on their backs and the provisions Lucas had brought. Claudia's family had been very welcoming, and Melanie went round to visit most nights. They had jumped for joy when offered the chance to help her, and would reach the house at nightfall. Her three of them, and their fifth, a charming boy called Dima Fjordvic, had been expecting her to have to leave for a while, but Melanie had steadfastly refused to see it. Turned out they were right after all.

 

* * *

 

"CRACK!" a stone smashed into her window. Looking out of it, she grinned, and flung it open.

"Throw us a rope, then!"

"Yeah! It's not like we can fly, is it?"

"Oh _all_ right." She said, in mock exasperation.

Mere seconds later, a rope was snaking its way down the side of the house. They caught hold of it, and began to climb. She could hear them puffing and panting the whole way up.

"Hey Scarlett! Hey Lucas! Thanks for coming, especially at such short notice." She called, by way of greeting.

" _Short notice?_  Whaddya mean?" The former exclaimed.

"Yeah! We've been waiting for this for weeks!" Lucas chimed in.

Melanie shook her head, a grin on her face. It was like watching a tennis match, having a conversation with those two. They did her head in, and she frequently told them so. Trying, and failing, to cover her amusement, Melanie shoved some boxes at them. She almost laughed out loud as the air was knocked out of them.

"You guys are gonna have to provide more boxes next time. I don't have many more."

"Sure."

"Can do."

"What have you _got_ in these? The kitchen sink?"

"Maybe?"

" _Gods,_ Melanie. You'll be the death of me!"

"Hurry _up_ , Scarlett! We _do_ want to get there before next week, ya know."

"Sorry. But _honestly_ , what is _in_ these things?!"

"Probably my... Ah, well. Lucas is probably right. You ought to get going if you want to be there by morning."

" _Thank_ you! _Girls,_ they can be such chatterboxes." Lucas huffed, before turning towards the window.

"Hey!" They were indignant, but Lucas had already gone.

"Bye, then."

"See ya in a few days Mel!" 

"I told you not to call me that!" But Scarlett, too, had disappeared out the window.

Shaking her head, Melanie closed the window behind them, before continuing to pack up her room. In went the clothes, the ornaments, the teddies... One thing was for sure - it was going to be a _long_ night.

 

* * *

 

Claudia stood at the window, watching for the signal that she knew would come. The moonlight illuminated her pale, cherubic face, a beacon in an ocean of darkness. Wavy black hair hung past her shoulders, layers rippling with the slightest movement. A smile played across her lips as she contemplated the feeble attempts made by the 'distraught' parents of her two guests, the latest of which having resulted in a near-fatal accident. Oh well, Mr. Simpson's left eye had never been anything special. Finally Claudia's head snapped up, an almost predatory look on her face. There it was. The signal. She picked up her phone and sent the first text: "3", before silently descending the stairs. It simply wouldn't do for her parents to find out about their midnight escapades. By the time she had reached zero, she was at the foot of the stairs, barely a metre from the front door. As if in slow motion, her fingers fumbled for the handle on the door. She flung it open in the split-second that it took to press down on the 'send' button, her timing as perfect as always. An orange blur rolled through the newly created gap, being careful to shut the door behind him.

"Hi Claudia!"

 

* * *

 

 

 "Hi Claudia!" He greeted her brightly. To his eternal embarrassment, she them proceeded to bat all the dust from his jacket and trousers. "Hey! Get off me!" He squealed, attempting to shove her away. 

"Hey is for horses, not for humans!"

"You -"

"Is Scarlett in the tree?" Claudia cut across him, and, at his nod, raced back up the stairs. 

"Hey! Wait up!" He panted after her.

 

* * *

 

 

Scarlett flashed the torch once, before hauling herself into the tree, pulling the boxes up behind her. She huffed in annoyance. All this secrecy might have been necessary, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Lucas's parents had been furious at his escape, and had called the police in for a missing child case. They had even told the cops that he would probably go to one of his friends' houses. There were people watching the houses of all three girls, including herself. Scarlett's parents evidently had not confessed to chucking her out the house, as the rest of the world were still unaware of her sudden absence. It had happened in the dead of night, after all. She groaned. The boxes were just so heavy. There had also been a cat staking out the house recently, and none of them recognised it. She was drawn out of her thoughts by the sight of something long flying out of the darkness towards her. The rope! She grabbed onto it, before tying the first two boxes to it, and sending them swinging towards the side of the house. Wincing at the resultant crunch, she summarised that perhaps they should have been tied a little further up the rope. Just a little. Scarlett repeated the job, only this time, there was no crunch. Instead, there was a thud, accompanied by a loud groan. Whoops! 

"Oi!"

"Sorry!"

Windows were thrown open in the houses to either side.

"Shut up!"

"It's three in the morning!"

"Sorry!" She repeated.

The rope came flying out once more. This was it. The reason why she had been swinging on the rope by the river for the past week. She would not mess up. She couldn't. Scarlett took a deep breath, and swung with all her might... 

Man! She wasn't trying that again in a hurry. Her two friends peeled her off the wall, and hauled her through the window. 

"Maybe next time." Lucas said condescendingly.

"What!? I practised loads at the river. Hell, I perfected it at the river."

"The grazes on your face and arms would contradict that statement." Lucas pointed out, in his usual infuriating way. 

"No need to be jealous." Scarlett muttered.

"I'm not jealous" he protested, "I was just saying."

"Well -"

"Quit your arguing, you two. You can't expect me to cart all of these down the stairs." Claudia butted in, and not for the first time. 

They grabbed a box each, Lucas picking up two, as was customary, and, between the three of them, managed to lug them downstairs to the playroom, though Scarlett trod on Toby at one point.

"Toby! Go back to bed. Shoo!" He fled, probably going to annoy someone else.

When they had all reached the destination, Claudia waved them off, before beginning to unpack.

Despite her exhaustion, Scarlett climbed back out the window, before taking off in the direction of Melanie's house, Lucas hot on her heels. They couldn't afford to waste time, not if they were going to rescue their friend from that place.

 

* * *

 

 

 Knowing that her friends would be along any minute, Melanie snuck down through the house. It had been a week since the initial incident, and the duo had been along twice in that time. This was the final journey, and she wanted nothing of hers to remain in this place. She had already sent ahead the books and clothes, along with the ornaments that she had rescued from her Nana's house. Her collection of Caithness paperweights was in the box for today, as well as her diaries and photo albums. Any and all jewelry had gone two days prior, leaving a very bare bedroom, and little to no sign that there was a girl in the house. Her shoes had also gone in today's box, leaving behind a a very empty shoe rack. Melanie wasn't expecting anything of hers to be in there, but she thought it worth a check, and entered the study. Strangely, as she walked past the printer, something green reflected her torchlight. Being magic did not mean that she wasn't human, and she was almost overwhelmed with curiosity, eventually deciding to take a closer look.

Though she needed all her strength, Melanie eventually managed to shift the printer a little, and, sure enough, there was something very bulky hidden behind it. Seeing it to be some sort of cabinet, she peered closer at it. Through the darkness, she could just make out her name 'Melanie Godfrey' etched into the top, in a handwriting that wasn't recognisable as one of her family's. That was all she needed to know. Melanie picked it up as best as she could, and lugged it up the stairs, before piling it up next to the day's boxes. Her friends came and went, few words exchanged. There was a soft of triumph coursing through her veins as she lay down on her sensitive bruises. Within the week, she would be at Claudia's. It was that thought that stuck in her head as she slept. That thought that kept her going.

 

* * *

 

"What's in this thing? It's heavy as!"

"Heavy as what, Lucas?" He internally groaned.

"I dunno. It's a saying."

All of a sudden, a bird flew by, landing on his load. Lucas recognised it as a great northern diver - a rare species of bird that was most commonly found in Russia - and it belonged to Dima. Dimitri Fjordvic was his best friend, but had had to leave the school over two years previously. They had kept in touch through the bird.

Lucas glanced down at the note in his hand, before telling Scarlett all she needed to know, "Dima's left Russia. He'll be making his way to Britain as soon as he's found a boat that will take him.  He's joining us at Claudia's." He rejoiced, and they doubled their pace, a new hope driving them on.

 

* * *

 

 His heart pounded in his chest. Running a hand through his unruly brown hair, he forced himself to think. A werewolf. They had called in a werewolf to get rid of him. Did they really hate him that much? When he'd been taken to the foster home, he hadn't expected to be murdered the summer before he started school. His parents had both been Death Eaters, so they had fled to Britain after the war. They had faked muggle identifies, in order to evade the aurors. He had met Lucas at primary school. The two bonded instantly, and they had gotten other friends besides. Unfortunately, at the end of Year 4, they were found by the MoM, and his parents were taken to Azkaban. He had then been sent back to Russia and taken in by a wizarding family. They had never liked him much, and the feeling was mutual. Still, a werewolf was going a bit far. With a sudden effort, he wrenched himself back to the present. It did not do to dwell on the past in the face of imminent danger. Be had absolutely no interest in going to Durmstrang; it was too dark oriented. He did not wish to turn out like his parents. Due to his being raised in England, he was expecting a letter from Hogwarts as well. The only way to accept it, though, was to get away from the Plishkovic family. Then it came to him. He could stay with Lucas! He knew that Lucas and their good friend Scarlett had both run away from their muggle parents to stay with another of their friends. Claudia's parents had always been accepting of any abnormalities, ever since their other friend Melanie had bumped into them at the ice rink. The two girls had hit it off straight away, and Melanie had introduced the others soon after. In fact, Melanie herself was going to be joining them soon, if Lucas's latest letter was of any indication. Dima quickly penned a note for Lucas, detailing his plan of escape. He didn't bother to mention the circumstances, but he assumed his best friend would understand. He then tied it elegantly to Kiki's foot, before almost throwing him out the window. Kiki was a great northern diver, and Dima had raised him from birth. His unusual familiar was useful for sending letters with, if rather unconventional. He began throwing belongings higgledy-piggledy into a magically expanded bag, well aware of the time. He hesitated, before slipping into his dragon hide boots. His father's silver knife was sheathed in the buckles, and he knew it was a necessity for escaping a werewolf. Only silver had any effect. Of course, he wasn't intending to come into contact with the mangy beast, but one could never be too careful. Just as he was preparing to throw himself out the window after his bird, there was a distinct growl, and Fenrir Greyback charged into the room...

Panic flooded through him. He hadn't touched that knife for years. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus. This was serious. Unfortunately, the window was on the other side of the room, and there was an angry canine in the way. There was only one thing for it. Before he had a chance to change his mind, he threw himself at Greyback. Evidently unused to his prey fighting back, the monster started, swiping out at him. Ouch. Dima was batted to the floor. He groaned, unable to bring himself to move. Lucas's face swam, unbidden, to the forefront of his mind. He had to survive this. He had to. If just to save his best mate from the heartbreak. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the resultant reaction, and lobbed the blade towards the monster. An angry moan escaped its jaws, and it wheeled around for another attack. He may have only enraged it, but it had bought him time. Dima scrambled to his feet, snatching up his bag. By now the wolf had swatted the knife to the side of the room. The side where the window was.

Dima slid under the monster's angry charge. He could feel the its hot breath on the back of his neck. It wouldn't do to be caught now. Before the filthy mutt could attack again, he grabbed his knife and launched himself out the window. It took a while for his feet to find purchase in the gravelly driveway, but he was soon running off to the city, ready to find a lift to England.

 

* * *

 

 

He hadn't anticipated that life on the streets of Russia would be so hard. All the citizens of each city he passed through were extremely hostile, and, with a pang of regret, he remembered being the same as a child. The other street folk didn't trust him at all, and didn't bother trying to hide it. His presence unnerved them, made them feel unsafe. Each attack was growing harder to fend off, as he gradually exhausted. The sooner he got out of there, the better. 

It was nearly midnight when Dima finally stumbled upon the docks. In the dark, it was a lot harder to navigate. He thrust a handful of rubles at the roughed up pirate, who was watching him distrustingly, before climbing aboard. He didn't trust the pirate at all, but it was the only option, and besides, he was desperate for proper food. 

Sure enough, when he reached his cabin, there was a table of traditional Russian foods, as well as some jugs of water. After eating his fill, he went to sleep, lying down upon a posh goose-feather bed, which had to have been stolen. It was the same for several days. Or it weeks. It could even have been months for all he knew. There was no clock, and Dima had no clue how long he'd been on the ship.

Dima was woken on the last by a one-eyed seaman, who could be nothing but a pirate. His nose was half torn off, and an assortment of weapons, mostly swords, hung at his belt. There was a livid red scar, tracing from what used to be his left eye to the opposite ear.

"We're here. Get up. We've reached Southampton." He growled.

Dima sprang up, as many important people used this dock, and could easily recognise a pirate. Hoping and praying that the streets of England were safer than those of Russia, he raced off towards the city.

 

* * *

 

 She and Lucas threw the rope at the tree, where Scarlett was hiding. A few minutes later, it was swung back, this time with two suitcases, a strange cabinet, and an eleven-year-old girl tied to it.

"What the hell is this?' Claudia demanded, tapping the cabinet in question. 

"I dunno. Melanie found it in the study. It was hidden behind the printer. It had her name on it," Scarlett did her best to answer her, "So she took it. Couldn't open it though."

"Ahhh."

It wasn't really an answer to her question, but it was the best she was going to get, so she would have to make do. A sudden flash of colour on the driveway claimed her attention then. 

"It's Dima!" Cried Lucas, before running over to the window to call out to him. "Up the tree! We can throw you a rope, but you need to get up the tree!"

He couldn't be too loud, but Dima seemed to have heard, as he looked up at the window, waved, and jogged over to the tree. Within a minute, he was in the bedroom, laughing and joking with Lucas. They had obviously missed each other.

 

* * *

 

He thumped Dima on the back, it was great to see him again. Sure, they had corresponded, but it wasn't the same as a face-to-face conversation. "Come on. I'll give you the tour." He led his friend deeper into the house, pointing out the kitchen, bathrooms and playroom. "We all sleep in the playroom.  Claudia doesn't, but that's 'cause it's her house. Don't use the downstairs loo, it's full of spiders."  He pointed at one of the spare mattresses in the playroom, "That's yours" and the chest of drawers next to it, "There's money in that pot on the top. We'll buy some clothes for you tomorrow. Your jacket's in ribbons, and your jeans aren't much better."

When they were both settled in bed, he waited until Dima had fallen asleep, before dressing again and dashing back upstairs. He grabbed Scarlett's arm and swung them out the window and towards the tree, where, after jumping down, they raced off in the general direction of Melanie's house.

 

* * *

 

She watched her friends go with a smile. They looked so cute together. She knew that they would end up together someday. She closed her curtains and plodded heavily over to the bed. She was exhausted. At long last, she fell into the waiting arms of Morpheus. Claudia had needed that sleep for days.

Despite her romantic thoughts, her dreams were haunted by him. That weird dude. That crazily obsessed stalker who followed her for hours on end at the ice rink. Unknowingly, Claudia shivered in her sleep. 

Claudia was woken in the morning by a rough shake. She whimpered as her eyes flew open. "It's okay Claudi, it was just a nightmare." Her father's worried eyes met her own. "Sorry." She managed to choke out, though it sounded rather hoarse, even to her own ears.


	2. Chapter 2

It was on the 1st of August, 1981, that Minerva McGonagall sent out the Hogwarts letters. It was the same date every year. She shuffled the pile of letters to muggleborn 1st years, unsure as to who she should go to first. After much umming and ahhing, she decided on Miss Smith. Bracknell was an awfully long way to go, as she lived in Scotland, so she twisted on the spot, and vanished into thin air. 

She reappeared in some kind of muggle shop, behind some shelves. The Transfiguration Professor had been walking around in muggle Scotland that morning, so was sporting a long tartan coat that was tied up in the middle with a sash. It was topped off with a matching tartan bonnet. Evidently, while ok for visiting muggles, obviously Scottish clothing wasn't really the best for traversing the streets of Bracknell - very much in England.  However, Minerva McGonagall had another trick up her sleeve: she was an animagus! An animagus was a witch or wizard who could turn into an animal. As she snuck out of the shop in search of a map, she glanced in a nearby window. The face that looked back at her, was the face of a...

 

* * *

 

 "Hey, Claudia-"

"Hey is for-"

"Horses, I know. But you really have to see this."

The two girls, Claudia and Scarlett, were having a little shopping trip. They had measured Dima that morning, and had decided that there was no point in waiting; he simply _couldn't_ leave the house without decent clothes, and, despite what he said, what he had on did not fall into that category. 

The peculiar sight which had claimed Scarlett's attention was a beautiful tortoiseshell tabby making its way out of Primark.

"I didn't think animals were allowed in any of the shops."

"They're not" replied Claudia.

"I wonder what it's doing."

The two girls looked at each other.

"We're following it!"

Peals of laughter followed, and a great many many passers-by stared at the pair incredulously. Ignoring them, Claudia dragged Scarlett towards an alleyway, into which the cat had disappeared barely moments before. They were determined to figure out the secret.

 

* * *

 

Melanie shivered. The journey from Wokingham to Bracknell was a long one, and she had not been able to take advantage of the available public transport, being a runaway and all. Besides, all of her money had been sent ahead, so she couldn't have afforded the bus fare. Still, she wished that she had thought to keep a coat behind, rather than giving them all to Lucas 3 days ago.

A flash of burgundy suddenly caught her eye. She had found them! At last! Melanie was about to call out, when she saw what they were doing - they were following a cat, for some reason. Now, she didn't know that much about them, but she was pretty much 100% certain that cats didn't enjoy people screeching in their ears. Instead, Melanie hunkered down behind a bin and gave a low owl call. The cat's ears perked up, and it looked around. Seeing nothing, she continued to examine the map that she was holding. 

"I didn't know that cats could read maps." She mentioned, in a low voice, in order for the cat not to hear her, which it didn't.

"They can't." Replied Scarlett.

Just as Claudia was about to reply, the phone in her bag began buzzing urgently.

"Let's get out of here" Melanie suggested.

The others all agreed. It simply wouldn't do for the cat to realise that it was being followed. They had deadly sharp claws. The three of them ran away, to a place which was empty enough for them to take the call undisturbed.

When it was over, Claudia looked at her friends.

"Let's quickly get the stuff, and then we'll be going."

The other two were rather confused at the change in plan, but followed her lead. Whatever the reason for a skipping the trip to MacDonald's, they didn't really mind; they were going to have so much fun in Primark and H&M.

 

* * *

 

Claudia flopped down on the sofa. It hadn't taken long for them to finish up, and they had managed to find time to get stuff for Melanie too. The girl in question was, at present, loitering around in the dining room, staring out the window. They had to be careful that her family didn't come looking for her. All of a sudden, the door to the playroom burst open! 

"That....cat....from....town...was....sitting....on....our....front....step." she was panting heavily.

"What?"

"Then it- it-"

"Spit it out then!" Scarlett was not known for being patient.

"It turned into a f***ing woman!" Melanie was bordering on hyperventilation.

"A witch? Here? And an animagus at that!"

At that statement, the five friends tore out if the room and practically threw themselves up the stairs. It looked as if a pack of dogs were after them. They spoke in low, hurried voices, plotting and scheming about how best to wreak havoc in this meeting. They also decided that she should annoy the woman as much as possible when she was called down. The group loved causing trouble, and had every intention of continuing to do so at Hogwarts. Dima had told them all about the school, and there was so much potential.

A moment later, "Ding dong!"

The bell could be heard from downstairs. Whoever the lady was, she sounded decidedly Scottish. Scarlett was the one to realise that this was Professor McGonagall, the stern but fair Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor. She was likely here to introduce Claudia to the magical world, given that she was the only muggleborn present. Dima was from a long line of Russian purebloods, while Lucas's mother had been a witch, before she had denounced her pureblooded family to be with her muggle husband. Melanie was unknown, but expected to be at least half-blood, given her power and control, with Scarlett being a load more complicated. Two wizards, one pureblood and the other muggleborn, had decided to use Scarlett's 'mum' as a surrogate, all without telling the woman. The muggleborn had polyjuiced into her husband and succeeded in impregnating her with the DNA of both men. She wasn't really sure whether her mum's husband had contributed in any way, although that could be the reason behind the lack of connection and love between father and daughter. They all settled down in a circle around the cabinet to contemplate it.

It could contain the answer to Melanie's questionable blood status. It could be a big "f*** u" from her parents or brother. It could be anything at all, but there was only one way to find out.

 

* * *

 

 

Melanie leaned forwards, letting her hands run along the edges of the cabinet. Her finger got cut, but she barely noticed, too busy staring at the consequence. It had evidently been some kind of blood lock. Dima had told them all about how some families protected their secrets and heirlooms by locking them away with a blood seal. They could only be opened if the blood of their family was wiped on the lock. Once the door had swing open, there were three drawers. She tentatively opened the top one, ready to pull back if needed. There was a letter on top, and she slit it open with Dima's fancy silver letter opener. She passed it to Claudia, who began to read aloud.

 _Dear Melanie, or Donna, as you were once known. You may write this off as a prank, but I can assure you, it isn't. It was my husband, and not I, who did the pranking. On a different note, be on your guard as you open the next drawer down; that was his one, and you can be sure that he will have booby trapped it somehow. My name is, or was, Lily Evans, now Potter, thanks to my idiot of a husband. You may have heard of us. Not knowing what you may have been told, I will start from the beginning. I guess it all starts when I was visiting my mother in hospital. She was at the Royal Berks, as she was a muggle. I was nine months into a pregnancy that no-one,_ _save for me and James, knew about. I suppose the Marauders knew, as they were round the house practically every other day, but they don't really count. The Order knew too. My pregnancy journey lasted through much of seventh year at Hogwarts, and I didn't want my fellow students, or even the press, to know. This, of course, meant that I had to chalk up on my glamour charms, but it always was my favourite subject at Hogwarts, so I didn't really mind the extra practice. Getting back to the story, I suddenly went into labour right there and then in the senior citizens section of Royal Berks hospital. The nurses hurried me off to see a midwife, who worked on the floor below. There was only one other woman in my ward. Her name was Lorraine. After I had delivered, I realised that no-one was coming to help her, so I stood up to do it myself. My day job was at Saint Mungo's, the wizarding hospital, after all. Unfortunately, the poor girl gave birth to a stillborn, and I couldn't bring myself to rouse her and deliver the heartbreaking news. Instead, knowing that I could not keep my own child, you, anyhow, due to the fact that we were number one on the DE's hit list (James will tell you more about that) and you would most likely be targeted, I swapped the children. They were both girls, and I performed a hasty blood adoption so that you could grow up theirs. Because I did it, and not a goblin, it was rather shoddy work, and should wear off in time for Hogwarts, or then abouts. If you wish to have it off sooner, you need only ask the goblins. I then returned home to James, and we buried the stillborn in the graveyard at Godric's Hollow. That grave is marked Sandra Carolyn Prosser. We prepared this cabinet for you so that one day you might know the truth. I can only assume that, since you're reading this, you have gone snooping around, or that someone else has found it and shown it to you. Whichever it is, this cabinet is important, and you would do well to keep the letters and contents. Please understand that I did not want to give you away, but it's war. We did what we had to do to keep you safe. We are attacked often, and I would not wish that on any child of mine. On a happier note, I have stuffed this drawer full of treasured things that I want you to have. The middle drawer is from your father, while the final drawer is for all the legal stuff. And there is a lot of it, believe me. Good luck in whatever you choose to do with your life, as I fear that by the time you come to read this I may be dead and gone. These are dark times, and our future is uncertain. Love, your mother, Lily._

 

* * *

 

 

"Wow."

"That was unexpected."

"Dima?"

"Yeah?"

"You grew up in the magical world, didn't you?"

"Yeah..." Dima was no fool. He could see where this was going, and he did _not_ want to be the one to tell her.

"Who is Lily Evans?"

There it was, plain and simple. If he played it right, he wouldn't have to so much as _mention_ her unfortunate demise. Although, it would be better for her to hear it from him than from anyone else. His mind made up, the young Russian heir steeled himself to say it.

"Lily Evans was, according to the history books, a highly gifted muggleborn witch. She was in the same year as Master Potioneer Severus Snape at Hogwarts, as well as a troublesome group of boys known as the Marauders. These boys hated Snape, and the feeling was most definitely mutual. Lily's first friend, and the one to introduce her to the magical world, was Snape. The intense rivalry between the boys have her cause to hate the Marauders, with the exception of Remus Lupin, with whom she often studied. James Potter, the gang's little ringleader, had his heart set on her from the second he first clapped eyes on her. In fifth year, the friendship between Lily and Snape fell apart, although she still steadfastly refused to date Potter. It took until seventy year, when the two were made Head Boy and Head Girl, for Potter's head to deflate enough for her to even contemplate the idea of going out with him. Their relationship then lasted for most of that year and beyond, with the pair getting married soon after graduation. In 1980, she gave birth to a son, named Harry James Potter. The next year, on Halloween, the Dark Lord broke through the formidable defences surrounding their home and murdered both parents. He tried to kill Harry, too, but it backfired from a magic in Lily's sacrifice. The Dark Lord lost all of his powers that night, and disappeared. Your baby brother ended the war."

"He's not a baby anymore. He's, what, just turned 8?"

"Sounds about right."

She seemed to be taking the news quite well.

"I've just had a thought!" Scarlett suddenly exclaimed.

"What?"

"We're, like, second generation Marauders. We said we wanted to cause mischief, after all."

The other two girls, especially, seemed to almost vibrate with energy at that news. 

"Wait." His hand closed on Melanie's wrist as she reached for the next item in the drawer, "Wasn't James a Marauder?"

"That's what you said."

"Then wouldn't he have left you some stuff,  _in the middle drawer_ _?"_

"Oh my god!"

"You're right!"

"We'll go through Lily's stuff first, though."

They had just picked up the second envelope, when a call sounded from below. 

"I'd better go. Plan still on?" Claudia was jigging up and down in her excitement.

"You bet."

With that, their companion disappeared around the corner.

 

* * *

 

Minerva sighed. The girl she was here visiting had friends around. Maybe this wasn't the  _best_ time to have come. She supposed she could have gone to someone else first. But really, how was she to know that the girl had friends around? It wasn't her fault. A thundering could be heard upstairs. Minerva realised that Mr Smith had called his daughter down.

"Hi!" 

She sounded breathless, which probably had something to do with the fact that she had just fallen down a flight of stairs and landed rather heavily. 

"Good morning. I am Professor McGonagall." She began.

"Professor? Is that like 'teacher'?"

"Yes. I am a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which offers the finest magical education in the world."

"Jesus. It must be brilliant!"

"It is. Now, I have-"

"How far is it? How would I get there?"

She was firing off questions like bullets.

"It is in Scotland, and there's a train that takes you there. Since it's a boarding-"

"It's a boarding school? Cool! Can I take my cats?"

"It is a boarding school. You can take a pet, but only one."

"But I've got two cats." Claudia whined.

"You have got to choose, I'm afraid. If we bend the rules for you, then we have to bend the rules for everyone. Hogwarts is a school, not a zoo."

"B-but" years were forming in her eyes. 

"One pet." Minerva stated firmly.

The girl would have to deal with it. She had never met anyone who had so many bloody questions. And she was speaking again.

"Are Dima and Lucas and Scarlett and Melanie going to be there?"

Who the bloody hell were they?

"I don't know." _And I don't care._  She wanted to add. But protocol must be followed.

"As I was saying, I have your letter here. It tells you everything you need to know."

 

* * *

 

Claudia grinned. Jesus Christ! That lady sounded seriously exasperated. She  _supposed_  she ought to stop, but it was just  _so_  much fun. She leaned back, time to raise some cain...

CRASH!

The chair splintered beneath her.

YOWL!

Whoops. Did she land on Twinkle?

CRAWK!

There went Kiki. Golly gosh, he didn't look too happy, did he? 

"CLAUDIA!" 

Ouch. Man, her mum was loud! There was a distant rumbling. Right on cue, the door flew off its hinges, and Claudia's friends burst into the room.

"What's going on?"

"We heard a crash!"

"Where's the bomb?"

They were excellent at playing clueless. 

"Ahhh. Did we-"

"Blow the door off its hinges?"

"Yes. You did."

Merlin, the Professor sounds very annoyed.

"Whoops."

"We didn't mean to,"

"Honest!"

"Who are you anyway?"

"I am-"

"My back! My back!"

"I am Profess-"

"I can't get up!"

"Claudia! There you are!"

"Why are you on the floor?!"

"I told you not to sit on that chair!"

"It's dodgy as f***!"

"Scarlett! Don't use such profanities under my roof!"

"Sorry Mrs S!"

"Where's Twinkle?"

"Underneath me."

"Where's Toby?"

Chaos. Complete, utter chaos. How she loved it.

"I think he's escaped!"

"Oh no!"

"We've got to find him!"

MROW!

There went that theory.

"Toby!"

"There you are, boy."

"WOULD EVERYONE JUST BE QUIET!"

Claudia winced. She sat up gingerly, and pulled a long splinter of wood out of the seat of her shorts. They were very short denim ones. 

"Merlin, Claudia. That's a long splinter!" Dima exclaimed.

"I know. And it hurts like hell."

"Is that an owl?" Scarlett inquired curiously.

"Where?" 

"On the window ledge outside. Doughnut."

Lucas opened the window, and it immediately swooped over towards Dima. Before he could close the window, however, another, larger bird rocketed past, also with Dima as its destination. Not that Dima had noticed this second bird. Oh no. He was too focused on the letter in his hand.

"I've got in! Oh my god!"

"Got into where?"

"Hogwarts!"

 

* * *

 

Minerva went pale. One of that girl's friends was going to Hogwarts? They were going to be worse than the Marauders. Perhaps this was all a bad dream, and she would wake up snug in her bed at home. She firmly shut her eyes, before opening them again. Nope. She was still here. Well, at least this year wouldn't be quiet...

 

* * *

 

Dima was ecstatic. He had gotten into Hogwarts! He had thought that he would have to go to Durmstrang instead, as Hogwarts was just for people who lived in Britain. Then he noticed the other bird. If he was right, and he usually was, then he knew exactly what was in the letter. He broke the wax seal. Yup. It was an invite to Durmstrang. Just as he had suspected. Well, he was going to have to say no. To Durmstrang, that is, not Hogwarts. He must be the first Fjordvic in centuries to have not gone to the dark institute of the north. Not that it mattered, of course.

"We're going to go to Gringotts tomorrow!" He suddenly announced.

"When you get there, ask for the Hogwarts scholarship fund."

"And why would we do that? We haven't earned any scholarship, and I can pay with my family vault. See you in September!"

"Yup. Toodles!"

Professor McGonagall clearly took that as her cue to leave, as she bustled out of the room.

"Where is this Gringotts?"

"Near Charing Cross, Mrs S."

"I will drive you into London. I want to do some shopping tomorrow anyway."

"That's very kind of you."

"No, really, it is no bother. No bother at all."

With that, they all piled back into Claudia's bedroom, ready to continue exploring the contents of the cabinet. 

 

* * *

 

"I think we should check out the bottom drawer before we do anything else. Her letter said it was for the legal stuff, which sounds quite important."

There could be anything in there, from marriage contracts to blood adoptions, and they didn't want to leave something like that hanging of they were going to Gringotts the next day. Some things just weren't meant to be surprises. Claudia reached forward and pulled open the third and final drawer. Picking up a wad of parchment, she began to read the first one out loud. 

 _I, Lord Jameson Fleamont Peverell Potter, hereby_ _name my eldest daughter, Belladonna Lilian ( ~~1 year~~  4 years), as my heir. She will inherit all royalties and properties, in addition to the Potter and Peverell heir rings. Upon reaching her majority, she should become Lady Peverell Potter. If Belladonna Lilian chooses not to accept, the titles should pass onto ~~the next closest kin, whoever that should be~~ our second child, Harrison James (1 year). The date is ~~31st July 1978~~  1st August 1981._

_Signed : **James C Potter**_

_James C Potter_

 

"Wow."

"The Potter and Peverell royalties alone are a substantial fortune, but together? You'll be one of the richest people in the country."

 "There's that much money? I'll be able to buy you all birthday presents now. I could never afford to while Lorraine was monitoring my pocket money."

"You don't have to."

"Nonsense. It's my money."

"We're going to muggle London as well as Diagon Alley tomorrow. We'll have to get you some proper clothes and makeup, not like that rubbish that Lorraine and Xander used to make you wear."

"Sounds brilliant."

"Am I allowed to carry on yet?"

Claudia carefully laid the parchment on the floor, before turning to the next.

_Properties Inherited by Heir Peverell Potter:_

_Ynys Potter - Potter Island. Located 7 miles offshore from Wales. Features Potter ancestral home. Home to many magical creatures such as unicorns and hippogriffs._

_Peverell Manor - Peverell ancestral home. Large grounds include a forest and a lake. Home to common animals and magical creatures, as well as a herd of Thestrals._

_Scandinavian Lake House - Potter holiday lodge. In an unspecified location in Scandinavia. Features a large heated pool._

_Canadian Lodge - Potter holiday lodge. Hand crafted by Lord Charlus Willard Potter II. Features spacious kennels for his many hunting dogs._

"That's a lot of houses."

"There's an island in there too."

"Wicked cool"

Together, they sifted through the rest of the legal documents. Thankfully, there were no betrothals or marriage contracts mentioned, although now Claudia's best friend had to choose someone to continue the line, which was a hell of a lot more tricky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: in this fic the Marauders are in Hogwarts from 1970 to 1977, rather than 1971 to 1978 as it is in canon.


	3. Chapter 3

Dima looked up at the great marble bank. It easily towered over everything else in the alley. He stepped forwards, the doors swinging open to admit them. The five friends then walked up to a second set of doors, upon which was inscribed a poem:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

Impatiently, a tall, aristocratic man with long, blond hair strode past them, and into the bank, his robes billowing. Dima followed him in. He saw that the man marched straight up to one of the tellers. It was a quiet day, and there was no one else in the bank.

"Name?"

"Lucius Malfoy"

"Business?"

He didn't wait to hear what Malfoy was doing there before he himself had marched up to a teller.

"Name?"

"I am Dimitri Fjordvic, and these are Lucas Bailey, Scarlett Shaw, Melanie Simpkins, and Claudia Smith."

"Business?"

"I would like to speak with my account manager. My friends will accompany me."

"Torvick will lead you."

Dima then gave a short bow, just as his father had taught him, and followed the new goblin out of the hall. They emerged into a corridor. It had a very low ceiling, seeing as how goblins are so short. Finally, they reached another door, which opened into an office. An old goblin, Gornuk, stood behind the desk.

"Heir Fjordvic, how good to see you again."

"I assure you, Gornuk, the feeling is mutual "

The two shook hands.

"I have come here today for some inheritance tests to be performed on my friends."

"It will be expensive."

"I can manage."

"Very well. Who's first?"

"I'll go." Lucas volunteered.

He offered his preferred hand. There was a flash of silver, a splatter of red, and then Gornuk healed it. The blood was added to a potion on his desk, onto which a pre-prepared parchment was placed. Everyone watched with bated breath as a calligraphic script began to appear:

_Lucas George Bailey_

_January 18th 1978_

_Vaults:_

_629 - Noble and Most Ancient House of Lestrange - Minor Vault_

"Lestrange?"

"A very old family. As you have a minor vault you are not in line for the lordship; you are probably from an offshoot line of the name."

"Can I go next?" Scarlett sounded surprisingly eager.

Once again, Gornuk drew the silver knife, and sliced open the offered hand. He healed it after a second. The second potion turned scarlet upon reaction with the magical blood. Another parchment was taken from its draw and placed in the potion:

_Scarlett Hailey Shaw_

_February 14th 1978_

_Vaults:_

_713 - Noble and Most Ancient House of Gaunt - Minor Vault_

"Another old family" commented the aged goblin.

The process was repeated twice more, first on Claudia, then again on Melanie.

_Claudia Elizabeth Smith_

_May 7th 1978_

_Vaults:_

_812 - Noble and Most Ancient House of Hufflepuff - Minor Vault_

Seeing the founder's name written down on her parchment was a shock, but the biggest shock of all was still to come.

 

oooOOOooo 

 

Melanie was terrified. She hated knives, and now a strange creature was about to cut her open! With difficulty, she managed to prevent herself from hyperventilating. Now really was not the time. She held her arm out, closed her eyes, then heard a gasp. Opening them, she saw that rather than turning blood red, the potion had turned gold. That couldn't mean anything good. 

_Blood Adoption:_

_Name -_ _Melanie Jane Simpkins_

_Parents - Mr & Mrs Simpkins_

 

_Real:_

_Name - Belladonna Lilian Potter_

_Parents - James Charlus Potter & Lily Jasmine Potter née Evans_

_Vaults:_

_8425 - Education Vault_

_469 - Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell - Family Vault - to be inherited upon emancipation_

_324 - Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter - Family Vault - to be inherited upon emancipation_

_23 - Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin - Minor Vault_

_9740 - Lily's Vault of Notes_

_9639 - Lily's Personal Vault - to be inherited upon emancipation_

_8023 - James's Personal Vault - to be inherited upon emancipation_

_9673 - Stuff Rescued from House at Godric's Hollow_

_Properties:_

_Scandinavian Lake House_

_Potter Manor_

_House at Godric's Hollow_

 

The goblin once more took Melanie's blood, before applying it to a different potion, and placing a fresh parchment over it.

_Found on Belladonna Lilian Potter aka Melanie Jane Simpkins:_

_Wizards Blood Adoption_

_Wizards Blood Glamour_

"Would you like me to anul the detected spells?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

Gornuk started chanting in Gobbledegook, waving his hands in complex patterns and shapes. 

 

oooOOOooo

 

Claudia stared at her best friend. As the goblin chanted, subtle changes began to occur. Her skin tanned a little, greatly improving it from the sickly shade it had been before. She looked so much healthier. She also began to lose weight, and her muscles were getting more defined. Her face took on a more diamond-like shape, though her eyes remained the same shade of hazel. A moment later, Claudia had to revise that thought, as beautiful emerald green specks began to appear. Her eyes also became more upturned, and distinctly cat-like. The came the more obvious changes. Her hair lengthened, until it reached her waist, before reddening and curling. It was the most gorgeous shade of red; not firy, but not as dark as chestnut. It was perfect. Just when she thought it was over, Claudia noticed Melanie's, or should she say Donna's nose changing shape. She then offered her friend a mirror, so that she could see it all for herself. 


End file.
